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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28580721">Wade in the Water</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phillidore/pseuds/Phillidore'>Phillidore</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, F/F, F/M, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:22:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28580721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phillidore/pseuds/Phillidore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Maude Hicks was late. </p><p>And - at this point - annoyed.</p><p>She would be late for her first order meeting...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Remus Lupin/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Original Character(s), Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wade in the Water</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maude Hicks was late. </p><p>Her reddish blonde hair floated around her as she speed-walked towards her destination.</p><p>The Order of the Phoenix had a meeting in about five minutes and it would be the first she was able to attend and thus she was not even sure if she knew anyone there – since, you know, it was a secret organisation and all.</p><p>And if she didn’t know anyone there, it would reflect back on her even more, if she were to arrive late or stutter or fall over things or anything like that. So, the least she could do now, was hurry. </p><p>Only two more corners until she’d reach Grimmauld Place.</p><p>Great. She was already completely exhausted from her run through the heated streets of London.</p><p>This summer really was a bit much for her. No one from the north of England was used to this kind of weather and the fact that she had spent most of her teenage years in Scotland during winter really made matters worse quite somewhat. ‘But’ she thought to herself ‘so have most of the people in the order’ they probably all went to Hogwarts at some point. </p><p>Still, she was late.<br/>
And – at this point – annoyed.</p><p>But she would have to manage.<br/>
London certainly was something else alltogether anyhow and her general anxiety and northerness really did not help too much in the capital either.</p><p>Finally, she reached the dusty looking house. </p><p>Kingsley had told her repeatedly not to knock on the door and to keep quiet until she’d reach the kitchen. So, she tapped her wand lightly against the wooden front door. </p><p>Of course, only after having checked if there was anyone watching. Maude had always been a stickler for rules.<br/>
And if someone like Kingsley Shacklebolt found it important to remind her of something, he certainly would have his reasons.<br/>
She squinted at the sudden darkness as the door silently closed behind her, tried to check her watch one last time, couldn’t see the exact time and carefully walked towards the door behind which she expected the kitchen to be. She only in the last second saw an umbrella stand that seemed to have been made out of a troll leg and just managed to evade it, slightly stumbling as she entered the kitchen.</p><p>As she entered the room, she saw so much that she observed nothing for a second.<br/>
Then, she heard Kingsley tell the men next to him who she was.<br/>
She started making her way towards them, as she had not yet had the chance to see whether she knew anyone else.<br/>
As she made her way through the room, she now could see that on of the men standing with Kingsley was Bill Weasley. Him she knew. Not well, but well enough to make casual conversations possible.<br/>
As she reached them, she tried to smile. But her anxiety probably mad this smile look more like a grimasse. Kingsley and Bill greeted her, but her anxiety got the better of her again, so she just tried to smile in their direction. As the order meeting began, she became mor comfortable in her surroundings and started noticing more familiar faces, like Tonks, who had been a year under her in school. </p><p>Maude tried to listen and mostly managed to do so as well and as the meeting closed, she was informed by Kingsley that she really really should stay for dinner and perhaps a bit after. Which was basically his way of telling her that she was expected to stay for a while and as she didn’t want to insult anyone – especially not Molly Weasley, that woman did have quite the reputation and she had heard some of her howlers in her time in school – she left her things in the kitchen and just went to the toilet, telling Kingsley so as she got up. </p><p>When she returned the kitchen had emptied a bit. But all the people that she recognised were still there, so Maude wasn’t too concearned. If only she weren’t so very awkward around people she didn’t know. </p><p>As a lot of the people she knew seemed to be engaged in conversations, she opted to simply sit down and review her calender for the next few days. She would certainly forget to do so once she reached home tonight.</p><p>“You’re new in the Order, aren’t you?”</p><p>Maude needed a moment to compose herself. She had not expected anyone to speak with her.<br/>
When she had gathered the courage, she looked up. And looked right into the eyes of Sirius Black. A man she had logically believed to be innocent for years now.</p><p>She laughed.</p><p>And remembering that he had indeed asked a question, she nooded and once again tried to compose herself.</p><p>“Sorry, Mr. Black. I’ve not expected ya te be here, but I’m glad te meet ya.” she held out her hand to the now astonished looking man in front of her. He took it. And raised her hand to his lips, barely touching the back of it with his lips, but his eyes never leaving hers.</p><p>“It’s Sirius.” he grinned at her and sat down at the head of the table, next to her.</p><p>“And you are?” his grin became even more teasing “other than from Salford, I mean”.</p><p>“Maude. My name’s Maude.” she liked the way his eyes sparkled, at least someone who got her hometown right. And wasn’t a total bore.</p>
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